Immortal Draw

The Immortal Draw was a chess game played in 1872 in Vienna by Carl Hamppe and Philipp Meitner. This game is the main claim to fame of both Hamppe and Meitner, and has been reprinted widely. The variation of the Vienna Game it uses was named the Hamppe–Meitner Variation in honour of the two players. The game was played in the 19th-century Romantic style, in which rapid development and attack were considered the most effective way to win, where many gambits and counter-gambits were offered (and not accepting them was considered slightly ungentlemanly), and where material was often held in contempt. These games, with their rapid attacks and counterattacks, are often entertaining to review even if some of the moves would no longer be considered the best by today's standards.

In the game, Black sacrifices huge amounts of material to drive the white king to his back rank and attempt to force checkmate, but White spectacularly manages to force a draw by perpetual check.

White: Carl Hamppe   Black: Philipp Meitner   Opening: Vienna Game (ECO C25)

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3

2... Bc5

3. Na4?!

3... Bxf2+!?

4. Kxf2

4... Qh4+ 5. Ke3

5... Qf4+ 6. Kd3 d5 7. Kc3!

7... Qxe4 8. Kb3

8... Na6

9. a3? (see diagram)

9... Qxa4+!!

10. Kxa4 Nc5+ 11. Kb4

11... a5+ 12. Kxc5

12... Ne7!

13. Bb5+ Kd8 14. Bc6!!

14... b6+

15. Kb5 Nxc6 16. Kxc6

16... Bb7+! 17. Kb5!

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